


Scattered Petals

by emptypizzaboxes



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Telepathy, Too many tags spoil stuff, buuuut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-02 17:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6576112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emptypizzaboxes/pseuds/emptypizzaboxes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby Rose didn't know how they ended up in this situation. She was laying next to her mother's grave when she heard a warm voice call out within her mind. He'd smiled at her and the world had shifted. Apparently, the feeling had been mutual and well... that had been that.<br/>And now she was in Beacon Academy basically working undercover for her criminal.<br/>Except her team's pretty great and it turns out that Cinder has failed to mention a few.. minor.. details.</p><p>-Probably better than it sounds I suck at summaries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Singed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Roman Torchwick breaks her heart and selfishly keeps the pieces to himself.

\- Even the most brilliant lights eventually flicker and die. And when they are gone, darkness will return. So, you may prepare your guardians. Build your monuments to a so-called free world, but take heed: There will be no victory in strength.

_But perhaps victory is in the simpler things that you've long forgotten._

_Things that require a small, more honest soul._

*

It began with a little lovers' spat.

Roman Torchwick had upset his little Red, and now they were engaged in a game of hide and seek, in which Red always prevailed due to her semblance. Red had run off upon encountering him with another woman, and now he was stuck chasing her through the streets of Vale while said other woman hovered in their stolen helicopter waiting for them to get their shit together and come back to base. He and his hired henchmen wandered the streets until they came upon the little dust shop where one of his men had spotted a young girl in a red cape.

" _From Dust Til Dawn_ '... I'll admit, it's clever, but _Dust_ \- you'd think people nowadays would have a little more imagination," the thief sighed mockingly. His men surrounded him, awaiting orders.

"Well don't just stand there! Might as well take the dust while we're here," Torchwick grinned, stepping through the shop's doors with great flourish, "It'll at least keep her Royal Bitchiness satisfied."

Torchwick planted his hands firmly on the glass counter, calmly informing the old man that they planned to steal his crystals while his men spread out. Just as he was shutting the case with the stolen crystals, he turned to find one of his rent-a-men flying through the little shop's window.

' _Yikes, owner's gonna have fun repairing that_ ,' Torchwick thought as he watched a flash of red follow. "Give her a challenge boys," the criminal grinned.

Not a minute after, the expression was wiped clean off his face when he saw all his men were down and Red was staring straight at him, a single eyebrow raised imperiously.

_'Is that all you've got?'_

A scowl made his face its home as he charged forward. "You were worth every cent, truly you were," he spat towards the fallen men. "Alright, Red, I think we can say it's been an eventful evening, and as much as I'm enjoying the sight of you kicking ass, it's time to go."

He watched his Red tighten her delicate hands around her beloved weapon- clearly they weren't done here. He took off into the night, knowing she'd be close behind and dreading the discussion they'd have once they got back to base.

They made it to the rooftop of a decrepit looking building, where he signaled for Cinder to come for them, and turned to find Red pointing her precious Crescent Rose at him. Her silver eyes were red and puffy. It seemed almost as if she'd been crying- but no, that couldn't be right. His little Red could be the toughest at times, surely seeing him with Cinder couldn't have affected her this much, right? After all, the main reason his precious Red was still with him was because she was tied to him through their heart bond.

The deafening sound of Cinder arriving with their ticket home snapped him out of his thoughts, "C'mon Red, we haven't got all night Princess!"

He held his gloved hand out to Red, but her grip on Crescent Rose didn't waver. In his peripheral, he saw someone approaching.

"Just _great_ ," he muttered under his breath, "a huntress, just what I needed." Torchwick sighed and reached in his pocket for a red crystal.

' _Sorry, love._ ' 

Sadly, appearances had to be kept in public. It was part of the plan.

He watched as Red's eyes widened and she shrunk away from the blast that followed after he shot at the dust crystal.

Roman Torchwick never thought he'd be so relieved to see a huntress.

"We've got a huntress!," Torchwick yelled at Cinder over the helicopter's noise. They switched places. Cinder moved to establish a defense against the woman attacking them while Torchwick kept them in the air. He didn't expect for Cinder to simply climb back in after the short skirmish empty handed. Nonetheless, he guided the plane in the direction of their base.

After a short silence he finally spoke up, "Where's Red?"

"I've got a plan," Cinder said by way of explanation.

"What's new," Torchwick muttered, "But, what makes you think she's going to listen to you after what you made sure she'd see."

"She's a smart girl, Roman," she said, her tone condescending, "You don't truly believe she'd give up all the power I've given her simply because you couldn't keep it in your pants, do you?"

Torchwick grimaced, hands tightening on Melodic Cudgel, "Alright, well what's the plan?"

Cinder smiled, mouth closed and shaped into something that might have been sweet on another woman, but seemed jaggedly menacing on hers, "That's for me to know and you to play out on my behalf."

When Torchwick spoke next, it was through gritted teeth, "If it involves Red, I have the right to know. She's my -"

The markings on Cinder's clothes were lit aflame in both amusement and anger on Red's behalf as she cut him off, "She's not a possession of yours, Roman. Truly, after today, I don't really think she's anything of yours. But fine, I'll tell you, as long as you stop pestering me."

*

On the other side of the city, Headmaster Ozpin met with the young hero who, as far as he knew, had defended an old man's dust shop from Roman Torchwick's raid.

"Ruby Rose... you... have silver eyes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for reading. Hope you guys enjoyed this. The world is lacking in RoseWick and I've had the idea for a while. Please drop comments! I want to know what people who read this think about it. And maybe leave some kudos too? ^-^


	2. The First Instance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SO- I didn't add a disclaimer last time but: I don't own RWBY or any of it's characters, etc. This chapter is very short, because it's less of a chapter and more of a moment.  
> Enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this AU, Ruby is ten years old when she loses her mom and Yang is twelve. Their father hasn't healed yet and he's at a point in his life where he fluctuates from overprotective to paranoid. This is meant to strain some relationships, make some transitions a little more difficult.

The moon had been in its fractured state- a good omen her mother had called it. Ruby had been too young to detect the wariness in her voice. 

_“Do you have to go?”_

_“I’m afraid so, Ruby.”_

_“Can’t I come with you?”_

_“It’s too dangerous sweetie, but I’ll be back before you know it. Just…be a good little gem for daddy, alright?”_

_“Ok.”_

_“-and honey?”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“I love you, more than anything.”_

“I love you too,” Ruby whispered, tossing the first handful of dirt onto her mother’s casket, “but you broke your promise.” She could still feel an echo of her mother’s warmth, still hear her soft voice whispering assurances- _lies, **all of it**_ \- into the night. She stepped away from the hole in the ground, watched as they locked away her mother and all her warmth within the earth. Her father was broken, and Yang was too busy trying to fix him to notice the frost settling over Ruby’s heart. She watched them walk away, even mustered up the strength to give a watery smile when Yang spared her a glance. Her mother’s friends patted her in the back, some attempted to hug her but she just stood there. She watched as her uncle Qrow grimaced, saw the glimmer of his flask as he took a swig and then placed it next to her mom’s gravestone. 

She stepped forward as he walked away, exchanged a glance, a pat, and a nod. She gave voice to the words on the stone, _“Summer Rose/ Thus Kindly, I Scatter.”_ She couldn’t help it, she smiled and began to laugh. She fell to her knees, her laughter filling the empty space between her and the stone. Her laughs soon turned to sobs, however, and she allowed herself to collapse completely, shielded from the cold air by her cloak. 

_‘Little red, little red… won’t you tell me what makes you cry so?’_

Ruby gasped, sitting up quickly, “Who said that?”

He stepped out from the tree line, slowly approaching her small form. She should’ve gone with her family, should’ve followed Qrow- she couldn’t properly defend herself yet for Dust’s sake! What did Mrs. Noir say to do when a stranger attacked you? _Scream, right._ Except… he was in front of her now and wasn’t trying to hurt her. He was holding out his hand with a small smile on his face, the bright orange of his hair adding to the warmth she felt when she took his hand.

_'My name is Roman, and you’ve kept me waiting for quite a while now…_  
_…. **my Little Red**.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh I don't know what I'm doing but drop a comment please? The next chapter's coming and honestly it made me want to yell at myself since I had planned for some things to take longer but well- the characters control this not me...


	3. Disappointment Paints Your Roses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't own RWBY. Enjoy.

 “Where did you learn to do that?” Professor Ozpin gestured to the scroll with the footage of her taking down Torchwick’s men.

“Signal Academy,” she said quickly.

“They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?”

Ruby almost sighed, Cinder would have a lot of explaining to do. She donned the tone and expression of what Roman called the “Adorable Munchkin Capable of No Evil.” It was a mask that had gotten them out of trouble many times in the past. The expression almost faltered when she thought of Roman, but that would only dig her a deeper grave.

She answered, “Well one teacher in particular.

 "I see… It’s just that I’ve only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty old crow."

 Ruby internally rolled her eyes at Ozpin’s attempt to be subtle. _‘Yes, because there are lots of scythe wielding Qrows in Remnant.’_ She felt a chuckle resonate through the depths of her mind and a voice that she’d been attempting to suppress. Great, she couldn’t escape him even if he was half a city away.

_‘Your turn to speak, Red.’_

_'Go away.’_

_‘Hey, **you** spoke to **me**.’_

**_‘Accidentally.’_ **

_‘_ _Sure, if that lets you sleep at night. Ozpin’s waiting, princess.’_

Ruby sighed internally and beamed at the headmaster, “Yeah! That’s my uncle Qrow! He’s a teacher at Signal! I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing.”

“And what’s an adorable girl such as yourself in a school to train warriors?”

The conversion was a blur for Ruby who really just wanted to go home, take a warm, long shower, and enjoy pretending to be a normal fifteen year old. Ozpin went on, and she faintly remembers gushing about huntsman and huntresses. The cookies had been delicious, at least, reminding her of those her mother used to make.

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're professor Ozpin. You're headmaster at Beacon."

"Hello."

"It's nice to meet you."

"You want to come to my school?"

"More than anything?"

"Well okay."

  
~

  
“OH MY GOSH I CAN’T BELIEVE MY BABY SISTER IS GOING TO BEACON WITH ME!” the busty blond exclaimed, crushing said sister to her chest in an overly affectionate hug.

“Yang… I can’t… gahh… breathe,” Ruby’s strained voice reached Yang’s ears and she let go, but not before squeezing her close once more. She’d shared the news over dinner, which consisted of a frozen pizza they’d dug out from the depths of the freezer. Ruby couldn’t help smiling- yes, maybe this was all part of some devious plan, but her sister’s enthusiasm was infectious. She turned towards her dad, and deflated at the sight of his blank expression. Apparently Yang’s excitement wasn’t as infectious as she thought. He got up from the table and stalked out of the room. Ruby followed, her mind prepared to block out her father’s words. She put up the wall she’d carefully constructed, allowed the frost to take over her thoughts.

And all of that fell away the moment he opened his mouth and spat scorching flames onto her heart, “She wouldn’t want you to throw your life away like this.” _"Shut up,"_ she thought but he kept talking, “You will not be going to Beacon, not now while you are still a child- _my_ child- and living under my roof, do you hear me?”

_‘Sheesh, he needs to lighten up.’_

_'Stay out of this, Torchwick,’_ Ruby gritted her teeth, “I am going to Beacon, whether you approve or not.”

_‘Ooh, we’re back to last names are we? But fine…I’ll be waiting, ‘Kay?’_

Her father turned, looking her dead in the eye, “She wouldn’t approve of this either.”

Ruby shattered, but she refused to let it show. It was dangerous to show weakness in the presence of dragons, “So that’s it dad? You can’t even say her name anymore? There is no reason for her to not approve of this. She was a huntress, a proud defender of the people-”

“And look where that got her!” he belted, his eyes glowing red- the only sign of life she’d witnessed in those cold blue eyes in a long time.

“I am going to Beacon. I will do what I want with my life, and I will not allow anyone to stand in the way of that- not even you,” with that Ruby ran, her petals forming a path out to the warm air outside their door.

“RUBY! RUBY ROSE GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!” the dragon roared, but she kept going, running to the one place she knew she’d be safe.

  
~

  
Roman greeted her at the heart of the forest with open arms and she rushed towards his warmth, the summer’s night breeze biting at her heels. It was a cold she thought she’d never escape.

Roman wrapped his arms around her small body, “Red, I…”

“Shut up,” she croaked, “just shut up, we’ll talk later.” Roman nodded, holding his little red close.

_‘You are my one.’_

_‘You are my only.’_  

 

~

 

_-The thing about soulmates is, when they are in need of each other, all else falls away._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was short and mostly dialogue but I hope you liked it. Comments much appreciated!


	4. Of Flickering Torches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Erebus Torchwick has to be selfless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't own RWBY, enjoy!

Erebus Torchwick ran. He ran past the pain in his legs and the strain on his lungs, his arms secure around the wriggling bundle in his arms. He’d ran most of his life, and just when he thought he’d finally found peace, he was given another reason to run. He thought he’d finished the race when he said his ‘I Do’s to one Minerva Ciel upon a flowery altar, but he realized now that the race was infinite. It only ended when one’s legs broke and they were left behind by a world that would keep running till the end of time. He heard the footsteps that followed him, but he didn’t dare look back for fear of his legs breaking _. “None of that, you old rat,”_ he thought to himself, _“You’re not running for yourself- not anymore.”_ He recalled a story his Minnie once told him, of times past and names long forgotten. It’d been a story of love- of two souls meant to be one. He remembered not understanding at the time, what she’d been trying to tell him all along.

_“Their power scared them,”_ she’d explained, her soft hands gently carding through his hair, _“They didn’t understand what a bond such as theirs meant in the grand scheme of things, and so they chose to fear. That fear led to bitterness and hatred that festered like a wound and only became more toxic over time. They were hunted, love, and in the end it was fear that won.”_

_“I understand now, my love,”_ Erebus thought as he glanced up to the night sky, _“I’ll try and give this little life you’ve gifted me with his best chance.”_

No stars made themselves visible that night, no doubt hiding from the gruesome story unfolding beneath them. Erebus ran until he got to the steps of Spring’s Orphanage, and there he allowed his legs to bend. On his knees he un-swaddled his son. Roman’s curious eyes traced his face and Erebus forced back a sob as his little boy grasped his finger within a tiny fist, as if sensing that he meant to leave and demanding that he stay. “You’ll be alright, m’boy,” Erebus whispered, his chapped lips forming the words against his son’s forehead, “You’ll find your One, and then you’ll be able to breathe.”

“Over here!” Erebus gasped, they were close and he was nowhere near ready to say goodbye. “I love you, m’boy. Wherever life takes you, I hope you know your parents loved you.” He rose, dusting off his pants and knocking on the orphanage’s door. The door creaked open and a young woman stood there, sad eyes watching him.

“You have to protect him,” Erebus said before she could even part her lips to speak, “I can’t- not on my own.”

“What’s his name?” the woman reached for his son, his little Roman. Erebus stalled, passing her first the bag his wife had prepared for such an emergency.

“There’s a note for his caretaker inside, and then two more for him. He’s just a year old, please take care of him. Tell him we loved him.” He held his boy close, breathing in his baby scent and pressing kisses all over his face. The boy giggled, clapping his hands over Erebus’ cheeks, “The things inside are for him, for when he’s older. A part of ourselves for him to hold someday.”

The woman didn’t understand what was happening, rarely did she see parents stick around after knocking on their doors. She did what she could to offer the man peace, promising that he’d receive his things, that’d she keep the boy safe. “What is his name, sir?”

“Roman. His name is Roman Torchwick.” Erebus released a quivering breath, he’d promised Minnie he’d be strong enough to give him up, “Here, please before I change my mind and run.” He held his boy out for her to hold, his bright green eyes watching him anxiously. Erebus placed his hand over his son’s head, “I love you, son.”

“I saw him run this way!”

“Are you sure?”

“’Course I’m sure.”

Erebus broke away from his son’s wide eyes, “I must go.”

The woman nodded hurriedly, “I will take care of your Roman.”

“Thank you,” with that Erebus ran, allowing the memory of his two greatest loves to fuel him in this last battle for his son’s safety.

The young woman watched as the man ran with a band of black-clad men on his heels, “Dust be with you, sir.” She stepped inside, shutting and locking the door. She looked down at the boy whose green eyes were narrowed in what seemed like suspicion.

“It’s nice to meet you Roman,” she shook his little hand, feeling a bit ridiculous, “My name is Vigne.”

Vigne glanced down at the satchel the man had left with his son, “Well, let’s see what we have here, shall we? Then, we can get you some dinner and perhaps a warm bath. Doesn’t that sound nice little Torchwick?”

Roman Torchwick smiled, wide and mostly toothless, and squeezed her hand within his small fist.

 

_~Yes, perhaps things would be alright in the end. ~_

 

Junior’s club was packed, his DJ bear was pumping his fist in the air to the rhythm of Red’s favorite song ‘This Will Be the Day.’

 A glove-clad fist came down on the bar, “Scotch, on the rocks and make it quick, Jerry. I have had one hell of a week.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drop a comment? I don't know what the heck I'm doing :P Anyway, thanks for reading. ALSO, don't my titles suck?? Heh.


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